Food-induced anaphylaxis in children up to 3-years-old – preliminary study

Abstract

Introduction and objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of food-induced anaphylaxis, analyze the symptoms, and triggering factors in a group of youngest children. Also, the study aims to estimate the frequency of anaphylaxis episodes in children in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship region.Methods: Retrospective analysis of medical records of 29 children aged 0–3 years that presented symptoms of food-induced anaphylaxis. Medical charts were reviewed using a collection of documents with the clinical data.Results: The frequency of anaphylaxis was determined to be 0.3% of all hospitalized children aged 0–3 years and 1.9% of children suspected of food allergy. The mean age of an anaphylactic reaction was 12±9 months. The most common symptom was mild-moderate urticaria. The respiratory symptoms were significantly more prevalent in toddlers than in infants (p = 0.148). Cardiac symptoms occurred only in the infant group, i.e., in two (11%) infants. As a possible cause of the symptoms, in 18 (62%) cases, parents most often indicated the consumption of milk or milk-rice porridge. Anaphylaxis as the first manifestation of food-allergy was significantly more prevalent in infants than in older children (p = 0.0002).Conclusions: The incidence of anaphylactic reactions rated at 0.3% of all children hospitalized at this age. The most common symptoms of anaphylactic reaction were skin lesions. The primary cause of allergic reactions was cow’s milk after the first exposure at home. Anaphylaxis has different patterns of symptoms depending on the age of the child.